Connecticut western news., 1887-04-20
ON THE CONGO.
A Land Reported to be Flow
 ing With Milk and Honey.
An Explorers Account of what He Saw
 in the Interior of Africa.


 report concerning his recent expedition ta Africa. As rule, both mainl md a1fd islands arc covered with dense forests, in which. are to be found the rubber, gum Rpab pin and other valuable trecsH the m .in'a1d are o occasional strpteass ofimmense rateaus, which the elephant, buffalo and other game use for feeding grounds. The islands above Bangala are covered with thousands of h, valuable oil p ,lm trees.
 The Congo abounds in most excellent food fish, which form staple article of food on the upper river. TAe natives seldom cat the fish when fresh, but smoke or dry them. The man-eating crocodile is met with throughout the river, and in the region of the islands and sandbanks the hippopotami are found. have frequently met herds of fifteen or twenty of these beasts playing in the river. If disturbed in their breeding season they will attack passing canoes and sometimes steamers. One of the state launches has been badly in- jured by the tusks of hippo.
 Of the mineral wealth of the Congo valley there can be no question. The natives of all sections possess iron and copper in large quantities. The knives and spears arc made of the iron and dec- orated with copper. Their brass orna- ments are made from the matakos that they purchase in trade from the whites.
 saw no gold or silver; the natives do not place any value on these metals. It has been reported that the Arabs have found gold in small quantities in the in tcrior, above Stanley Falls.
 The natives of the lower Congo are armed with fint-lock muskcts, but they are almost harmless. They have no idea of craftsmanship, sand it is the cxcep- tion when man is killed in their tribal wars. In October, 1885, between M'Bauza Mateke and Vivi, I was in camp with nearly s600 of Makito's people Gone of the most powerful chiefs on the lower river); these people were re- turning from the coast with rum, gin, etc, but With my native caravan and one othegahite man, I camped as peace fully among these 600 natives as could have done>at Vivi. And again, one of the English mission is living alone at Lutcte, and has been so for months, the nearest 1hitc man being fifty miles from him. 1he agents of the state never travel with guard in the lower country, and the state limits its caravans to enough people for the transportation of their camp cquipage only. As far as l during the last two years where white mans caravan has been molested on the lower river.
 The Baskungas are supcrstitious to the last degree; they rely for protection on the fetich charms, and the medicine men of the tribes have great influence. On the death of any person of. note in the village the poison test is used. The medicine man designates the man or woman suspected of causing the death by charm of witchcraft. The poison is administered, and if it acts as an emetic that signifies innocence; if on the contrary, it kills, the guilty one is punished.
 In some instances the laws of the Baskungas are very stringent. Stealing from each other is punished by death. Fighting or disorder in the market places is seriously punished, and if q frearm is used the punishment is death.
 The market place, which usually covers some acres of ground, is used as the pace of execution, and it is not au unusual sight to meet skeleton hang ing and bleaching in the sun on the out skirts of the market, or to fiud a broken musket driven into the ground, which marks the spot where a man has been buried alive to his throat, his brains dashed out, then covered and the musket driven into his body. All this to serve as warning to others not tc use firearms in the market place.
 The native food of the lower Congo valley is principally peanuts and chi quango (made from the manioc root. On market days fowl, eggs, goat and pork may be bought, and Gin small quan- tities) sweet potatoes, peas, beans, onions and bananas.
 As lu!e I did not find the lower Congo people incorporate the native drink is malafu or palm wine, which, when fresh, is not at all intoxicating. They are fond of rum and gin, and these articles will go much further in trade than either cloth or beads. The native caravans demand rum or gin as DOT tion of their pay.
 The women arc slaves, there being nc marriage laws. s.
 Above Stanley Pool, and more par ticularly above the mouth of the Kassa river, the natives arc an entirely diffcren race, both physically and Intellectually The greater part of these people ar' traders, and rich; they own many slaves in fact, a chief popuIates his villages with slaves, the freemen of the village being the members of his own family. singular fact is that slaves can in turl own slaves; in fact, the men are mor' like retainers than slaves; the womcr bear that burden.